rrinker I've seen this done before somewhere, or at elast soemthign similar. Access doors on the outside would work. But given that it isoutside, it has to be COMPLETELY sealed - otherwise there are many critters who will find it to be a nice snug home - until the next train comes along.
I've seen this done before somewhere, or at elast soemthign similar. Access doors on the outside would work. But given that it isoutside, it has to be COMPLETELY sealed - otherwise there are many critters who will find it to be a nice snug home - until the next train comes along.
I figure all I need to do is stand up (or sit up) inside the helix circle from the circular access underneath
I will need something like a drop down trap door, or fine mesh screen covering that underneath access hole.
It will also need support, a pair of legs on the outside corners. Just canilevering it off the back of the shed will likely sag and cause problems. --Randy
--Randy
I have those supports already,...two nice alum poles with flat 'feet' on them to sit on the ground or a pad block of cement if necessary.
I just wanted to get that space hungry 'helix blob' outside the shed's interior.
Someone ask why not bigger diameter. Maybe so if I have to climb very far between levels? At this moment I think I will only have to climb 12-14 inches between my 20" of deck seperation I figure 30" is a good minimum radius. I also have a special construction I am considering for the helix itself and it's housing.
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
Since you are building an addition to your train shed just to hold the helix, why settle for only a 30" radius? 36" or even 42" would work much better.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
It will also need support, a pair of legs on the outside corners. Just canilevering it off the back of the shed will likely sag and cause problems.
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
railandsail, how are you going to get access to that helix when it is boxed into that corner?
Rich
Alton Junction
railandsail OK, I logged into that suggested site Imgbb site, and I'll see if I can load a photo of my helix plan stuck on the rear of that shed. At first I tried to paste the URL in that 'source box', but that did not seem to work? So then I just 'copied/pasted' with my mouse, and that worked.
OK, I logged into that suggested site Imgbb site, and I'll see if I can load a photo of my helix plan stuck on the rear of that shed.
At first I tried to paste the URL in that 'source box', but that did not seem to work? So then I just 'copied/pasted' with my mouse, and that worked.
That's why you do what I do and get your own web hosting from a 'stock' provider (not someone like Wix ot 1and1 which front the web server with their software to make it 'easier' to create your site - you want raw access to the server). Plans start at $1.50/mo with my provider and that gives plenty of bandwidth to post images on forums like this. And you do NOT put your only copy of each photo on photo hosting sites, ever. As long as I remember to pay my bill, my links will remain valid.
Anyway this was all hashed in the Photobucket thread so no need to go over it all gain here. To post here, if you can paste it in your browser without being logged in to some other forum and the image shows up, it will show up if you paste it here in the Insert Photo dialog. If you paste it in a new browser window and you are required to log in or something, it will never work here or on any othe forum.
richhotrainThis forum does not have a provision for directly posting images. You need to "upload" the image from your computer to a "3rd party website" that hosts images on its server. I use www.imgbb.com to upload my images. Then I copy and paste them onto my posts on this forum. Rich
I use www.imgbb.com to upload my images. Then I copy and paste them onto my posts on this forum.
The thing that bothers me about that 'method' is what if that website you posted all of those very informative images to decides to update the software they are utilizing (perhaps to make it more compatible with new 'devices'). Then the URL's of each and all of your material might change (maybe ever so slighty) and thus become invisible.
I had it happen on another model railroad forum, and all the images I had posted over several years ALL dissappeared.
Well I can see how this complicates the whole image posting situation now that Photobucket (and likely more to come) have modified their 'rules'. I never did trust all those free image hosting sites,...just a gut feeling that something like this would happen in the future and one would be beholden to those websites where they stored all of their photos.
I participate on quite a number of boat design forum sites, and thank goodness they have utilized different protocoles and software for their sites.
This forum does not have a provision for directly posting images. You need to "upload" the image from your computer to a "3rd party website" that hosts images on its server.
Ah ha, at first I could not find the main forum page, but I found that now.
Can one enter an image that is on their computer?
The images I did manage to post were done by copying the image from another forum posting I had made, then pasting it on this one,...rt click of mouse, the left click. To my knowledge I did NOT copy the image's web location address.
Please excuse 74 year old's lack of computer knowledge....ha...ha
There's a sticky on the main forum on how to post pictures. What goes in the box is the URL to the image. It needs to end in something like JPG or PNG or GIF, if not, you aren't using the right link. It looks like you are trying to link from another forum - the other forum for one is not going to allow that to work. You need the actual images on some sort of web site.
Over the years I have seen many really nice train layouts that had to be cut-up (and destroyed) in order to remove them from their home place, due to either the owner's having passed away, or his moving to another residence. Very often they are rather a custom fit in their home built environment, and thus aren’t likely candidates for a new special location. I'm even currently in possession of a very nicely detailed waterfront scene that had to be cut out of an estate sale layout, and I am hoping to incorporate it into my new layout, but I see problems on the horizon. With these experiences in mind I decided that I would purchase a stand alone Handi-House shed, and build my new layout in there. Then if I should change residence again, I can simply load that shed onto a trailer and move the whole layout to a new location. Or if I should pass away my wife could sell the layout and shed as an entity, and the buyer could move it to his new location. I retired to a trailer home here in St Augustine, and it had an almost full length carport attached to it. I thought why not pull that new shed into the back portion of the carport and take advantage of the extra shade provided by the carport cover over the shed. It was a tight fit, and in fact to get a 12 foot wide shed into my carport I had to move all 5 of its support columns out a distance of 1 foot (had to pour concrete footer for those new column locations). I also had to remove 3 big beams attached to the underside of the shed in order to get enough clearance to fit under the carport's roof (I had initially given considerations to chopping the peak off of the shed), but became convinced I'd rather trim the height by modifying the bottom. I needed only a few inches, but it became a major undertaking. And I did this all by myself at the age of 74 using skid pads I made and a come-along attached to a tree in the back yard.
I have now just finished insulating the entire shed and installing a ceiling fan and a small air conditioner. My interior dimensions with the insulation all in is now 11 inches short of the overall dimensions of the 12x16 shed, ie; 11' 1” by 15' 1”
I want to build a dbl-deck, around-the-wall, with a peninsula layout. At first I was wondering if the peninsula might project out from one of the 'long walls' of the shed, but I am now convinced that the peninsula needs to project out from the 'back wall' of this shed that sits at the opposite end from the big door. I intend to have a helix (likely single tracked) to move the trains between the 2 decks. And since the helix’s take up so much room, I intend to make the helix structure in its own 'box' external to the interior of the shed. This will be like a 'winged box' structure hung off a rear corner of the shed, about 5-6 foot in size to house the 30 inch radius helix. There will be two small holes in the shed's metal siding to allow the trains to enter and exit the helix. At the moment I am imagining the train will enter the helix at an opening just off center of the shed's wall at the rear of the peninsula, and proceed its upward climb to the top deck, where it will reenter the shed over near the a perimeter (side) wall.
Objective: I want to build a double-deck, around-the-wall, peninsula style layout in a 12x16 shed I have prepared for the job. I have picked out two plans that I found among many that I had saved over the years from magazines, particularly Model Railroader *. A combination and modification of these two layout plans should produce what I am looking for. I realize there are any number of computer aided programs that have come into existence to help with layout planning, but at my older age, I'm not real excited about taking a great deal of time to learn how to use these computer programs. I'm hoping some folks with that sort of knowledge will come forward and help me plan the layout, and visualize it with 3d images before I begin final construction. *I contacted Model Railroader magazine about posting some images of older RR plans they had published in the past, but were not currently available on the internet. They informed me in writing that it would be permissible if it was in pursuit of my own individual effort to design my personal layout, and if I gave them credit where appropriate. So please don't anyone bring up 'copyright' issues.